Light for Pregnancy Blues

Pregnant women suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) may soon have a new way to treat their depression. A pilot study at Yale University found that daily exposure to bright white, nonultraviolet light reduced depression levels by up to 59% after 5 weeks (Amer. Jour. of Psychiatry, Apr. 2002).

Researchers are not yet willing to recommend this approach. But if you have SAD and are pregnant, ask your obstetrician about the safest ways to soak up more natural sunlight.